Pelargonium plant named ‘Gradored’

ABSTRACT

A new cultivar of  pelargonium  particularly characterized by having red to orange-red, double and stellar-type flowers, small to medium-sized, tight and semi-spherically shaped umbels on long peduncles, medium-green, fan-shaped foliage with distinct zonation, a vigorous growth habit, a medium to tall, rounded, well-branched, moderately tight plant habit, and a mid-season flowering response, is disclosed.

Genus and species: Pelargonium×hortorum.

Variety denomination: ‘Gradored’.

BACKGROUND OF THE NEW PLANT

The present invention comprises a new and distinct cultivar ofpelargonium, botanically known as Pelargonium×hortorum, and hereinafterreferred to by the cultivar name ‘Gradored’. The new cultivar is aproduct of a planned breeding program which had the objective ofcreating new varieties in various flower colors having stellar-typeflowers, medium-green foliage with zonation. ‘Gradored’ was discoveredas a seedling resulting from the cross of the female parent ‘K99-4006-2’(unpatented), a proprietary pelargonium plant having light-salmon,single-type flowers and the male parent ‘K00-5693-7’ (unpatented) aproprietary pelargonium plant having rose-red, double flowers.

The new cultivar was created in 2001 in Hillscheid, Germany and has beenasexually reproduced repeatedly by vegetative cuttings in Galdar, GranCanaria, Spain, and Hillscheid, Germany over a four-year period.‘Gradored’ has been found to retain its distinctive characteristicsthrough successive asexual propagations. ‘Gradored’ reproduces true totype in successive generations of asexual reproduction.

Plant Breeder's Rights for this cultivar were applied for in Germany onApr. 4, 2005 and Canada on Apr. 20, 2005.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The following are the most outstanding and distinguishingcharacteristics of this new cultivar when grown under normalhorticultural practices in Hillscheid, Germany.

-   -   1. Red to orange-red, double and stellar-type flowers;    -   2. Small to medium-sized, tight and semi-spherically shaped        umbels on long peduncles;    -   3. Medium-green, fan-shaped foliage with distinct zonation;    -   4. A medium to tall plant habit with vigorous growth;    -   5. A rounded, well-branched and moderately tight plant habit;        and    -   6. A mid-season flowering response.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPH

This new pelargonium plant is illustrated by the accompanying photographwhich shows overall plant habit including inflorescences, buds, andfoliage of the plant; the colors shown are as true as can be reasonablyobtained by conventional photographic procedures. The photograph, takenin June 2004, is of a 15-week-old, un-pinched plant grown from rootedcuttings in 14-cm pots and grown under greenhouse and outdoor conditionswhich approximate those generally used in commercial practice.

DESCRIPTION OF THE NEW CULTIVAR

The following detailed description sets forth the distinctivecharacteristics of ‘Gradored’. The data which define thesecharacteristics were collected from asexual reproductions carried out inHillscheid, Germany. The plant history was taken on 12-week old,un-pinched plants in 12-cm pots in a greenhouse during late May. Colorreadings were taken under natural light in late May from flowers grownin the greenhouse. Color references are primarily to the RHS ColourChart of The Royal Horticultural Society of London (RHS) (2001).

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

-   Classification:    -   -   Family.—Geraniaceae.        -   Botanical.—Pelargonium×hortorum.        -   Common name.—Zonal geranium, stellar type.-   Parentage:    -   -   Female parent.—‘K99-4006-2’ a proprietary pelargonium plant            having light-salmon, single-type flowers (unpatented).        -   Male parent.—‘K00-5693-7’, a proprietary pelargonium plant            having rose-red, double flowers (unpatented).-   Plant:    -   -   Form.—Shrub, self-branching, mounding.        -   Branching habit.—9 to 12 branches per plant.        -   Height (measured from base of the stem to the tips of the            branches, excluding the inflorescence).—19.7 cm.        -   Width (plant diameter).—31.7 cm.        -   Time to produce a flowering plant.—Plants had an average of            0.6 opened inflorescences about 9 weeks after planting            rooted cuttings in Hillscheid, Germany.        -   Outdoor plant performance.—Plants continuously flower; a            count in late summer of 2005 in Hillscheid, Germany produced            about 20 inflorescences per plant (plants were            30-weeks-old).-   Leaves:    -   -   Arrangement.—Alternate.        -   Immature leaf color.—Medium green. Upper surface: RHS 137C.            Lower surface: RHS 138A.        -   Mature leaf color.—Upper surface: RHS 137C (medium-green).            Lower surface: RHS 138A.        -   Zonation color.—RHS N200A (brown) with a medium            distinctness.        -   Zonation diameter.—Inner diameter of ring: 3.2 cm. Band or            belt of zonation: 1.5 cm to 2.0 cm.        -   Size.—Length: 4.3 cm. Width: 7.5 cm.        -   Shape.—Semi-circular or flabellate with distinct lobes.        -   Apex.—Lobate.        -   Base.—Truncate or obtuse.        -   Margin.—Dentate.        -   Texture.—Upper surface is smooth, dull, and velvety and the            lower surface is smooth (apart from the protruding veins)            and covered with fine pubescence.        -   Petioles.—Color: RHS 138A to RHS 144A (dull-green). Length:            5.0 cm to 7.0 cm. Diameter: 0.25 cm. Texture: Covered with            dense pubescence.-   Stems:    -   -   Stem color.—RHS 143C (light-green).        -   Length.—15 cm to 18 cm.        -   Diameter.—0.5 to 0.7 cm.        -   Internode length.—3.0 cm to 4.5 cm.        -   Texture.—Appears smooth but with slight pubescence.-   Inflorescence bud: (just before petals unfold).    -   -   Shape.—Nearly round.        -   Size.—Length: 1.0 cm to 1.1 cm. Width: 0.8 cm to 0.9 cm.        -   Color of sepals.—RHS 143B (light-green).        -   Color of petals.—RHS 42A (red).-   Inflorescence:    -   -   Inflorescence type.—An umbel composed of 25 to 40 flowers            and buds.        -   Umbel.—Shape: Semi-spherical. Diameter: 7.9 cm. Height            (depth): 4.5 cm.        -   Lastingness of umbel on the plant.—About 16 days.        -   Peduncle.—Color: RHS 143C (light-green). Length: 24.8 cm.            Diameter: 0.3 cm to 0.4 cm. Texture: Pubescent.        -   Pedicel.—Color: RHS 143C (light-green) near the base and RHS            180A (reddish-brown) at the upper end. Length: 2.9 cm.            Diameter: 0.15 cm. Texture: Short pubescence and glandular            hair.-   Corolla:    -   -   Shape of corolla.—Star-shaped, somewhat irregular with many            petals, upper petals are typically distinctly longer and            narrower than the other petals.        -   Form.—Double.        -   Diameter.—3.6 cm.        -   Depth.—1.2 cm.        -   Number of petals.—15 to 18.        -   Petaloids.—Number: 0 to 2. Shape: Narrow. Color: RHS 43A.        -   Lastingness of individual flowers on plant.—8 days at 18° C.        -   Fragrance.—None.-   Petals:    -   -   Shape.—Ensiform to lanceolate or elliptical.        -   Apex.—Acute, upper petals are occasionally divided.        -   Base.—Acute.        -   Margin.—Mostly entire, weak lobes or single notches may            occur.        -   Texture.—Upper surface is smooth and slightly glossy and the            lower surface is glabrous.        -   Upper petals.—Length: 1.8 cm to 2.1 cm. Width: 0.3 cm to            0.4 cm. Color: Upper surface: RHS 43A (red with an orange            hue). Lower surface: RHS 43B (orange-red). Markings: Some            petals may develop widely apart so that the base of the            petals is visible and RHS N155C (white), while some petals            may develop a whitish middle line which is RHS 49D or RHS            56D for the upper surface and RHS 49D or RHS 36D for the            lower surface.        -   Lower petals.—Length: 1.6 cm to 1.9 cm. Width: 0.6 cm.            Color: Upper surface: RHS 43A. Lower surface: From RHS 43B            to RHS 43C. Markings: Absent.-   Sepals:    -   -   Number.—5 to 6.        -   Color.—RHS 143B (light-green) for both surfaces.        -   Length.—0.5 cm to 0.7 cm.        -   Width.—Largest upper sepal: 0.2 cm. Other sepals: 0.1 cm to            0.2 cm.        -   Shape.—Ligulate.        -   Apex.—Acute.        -   Base.—Fused.        -   Margin.—Entire.        -   Texture.—Dense glandular hair for the lower surface and the            upper surface is glabrous.-   Reproductive organs:    -   -   Androecium.—Number of anthers: 2 to 5. Filament length: 0.5            cm to 0.6 cm. Filament color: RHS 155D (white) to RHS 43B at            the upper end. Pollen color: RHS 28A (orange). Pollen            amount: Moderate.        -   Gynoecium.—Pistil: Number: 1. Length: 0.6 cm to 0.7 cm.            Stigma color: RHS 43B (orange-red). Stigma shape: 5 to 6            lobed, at right angles, later reflexed. Style color: RHS 43B            (orange-red) and fading towards the base. Style length: 0.2            cm to 0.3 cm. Style shape: Filiform (filament-like) with the            lobes of the stigma initially slanting upright and later at            right angles.-   Fruit and seed set: No seed set observed.-   Disease and insect resistance: No particular resistance or    susceptibility has been observed.

COMPARISON WITH PARENTAL AND COMMERCIAL CULTIVARS

‘Gradored’ differs from the female parent ‘K99-4006-2’ (unpatented) byhaving red, double flowers, while ‘K99-4006-2’ has light-salmon,single-type flowers.

‘Gradored’ differs from the male parent ‘K00-5693-7’ (unpatented) byhaving red flowers with rounded inflorescences, while ‘K00-5693-7’ hasrose-red flowers and inflorescences that are not rounded.

‘Gradored’ differs from the commercial variety ‘Grafire’ (U.S. PlantPat. No. 16,553) by having double flowers, while ‘Grafire’ hassingle-type flowers. In addition, ‘Gradored’ has narrower upper petalsand smaller, rounder umbels, while ‘Grafire’ has flatter, ratherumbrella-shaped umbels.

1. A new and distinct cultivar of pelargonium plant as shown anddescribed herein.